Lead Poisoning Prevention Program

While there can be more than one source contributing to a child’s elevated blood lead — in New Hampshire, children are almost always poisoned by lead dust generated from old lead paint in their homes. 

Even though lead poisoning in young children is entirely preventable, on average, over 800 children a year in New Hampshire are poisoned from lead paint in older homes, resulting in elevated blood lead levels high enough to impair their ability to think, learn, and concentrate. 

With some of the oldest housing stock in the country, more than half of New Hampshire’s housing were built before the 1978 ban on lead in residential paint.  Across the state, a minimum of 32,350 young children are living in older homes with lead paint.

Young children, especially those under six years old that are living in these older homes are at risk for lead poisoning through sitting, crawling, and playing on the floor and in areas where lead paint dust collects.  This includes soil contaminated with lead in the play areas around their home.  Children’s hand-to-mouth behavior and placing objects in their mouths puts them especially at risk. 

New Hampshire adults who work or have hobbies that involve lead or decorate with antiques that contain lead are also at risk for lead poisoning, but more importantly are at risk for poisoning the young children in their lives.